The Cherry Blossoms are Blooming out of Season
by Chro Mephisto
Summary: After a disagreement, Shibuya is reset back approximately 15 years and the Other has to start the process back from the beginning.  However, this time around he has knowledge the Angels don't.


**Title**—The Cherry Blossoms are Blooming Out of Season  
><strong>Author<strong>—Chronos Mephistopheles  
><strong>Fandom<strong>—The World Ends With You

**Challenge**—NaNoWriMo 2011  
><strong>WarningsRating**—M for future smut, possible gore, succubae, Death Gods, Angels, Alternate Universe/Reality (author isn't quite sure which), boy on boy loving, spoilers for The World Ends With You, and undoubtedly more

**Summary**—After a disagreement, Shibuya is reset back approximately 15 years and the Other has to start the process back from the beginning. However, this time around he has knowledge the Angels don't. After all, the Proxy can't change too much, no matter how many times his life is reset, right?  
><strong>Notes<strong>—This story started with what you see below during the Midnight Dash for NaNoWriMo 2011. Everything after it was pure randomness that I would come up with in my attempt to make the word count of 50k at the end of the month. I didn't make the word count in the end, but I did come up with a semi-salvageable story that I am editing and working on in hopes that you all will enjoy it. Please do let me know what you think.

**THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE BLOOMING OUT OF SEASON**

**Prologue:**

The worlds cringed when the 'Angels' lowered to the mortal plane. The sky rippled, the clouds turned dark and the solar star turned an indigo blue. The flash of light that echoed across the sky was brief, quick, and anyone who wasn't looking for it wouldn't have noticed. It took knowing the wind in the trees rustling, the way the birds would only fly in a particular direction, and then the clouds would form a misshapen pentacle and then the flash would occur for one to notice the phenomena.

The beings that came with the flash weren't seen by mortal eyes. The animals saw Them, and the worlds knew They were there, but the mortals, the humans, couldn't see. They couldn't be seen without knowing They were there. The beings were large, transparent, androgynous and of all different shapes and sizes. Some were no bigger than an infant's smallest finger, and many were larger than a shop. Other than their size and the shapes of their forms, there wasn't enough to differentiate between them on appearance alone.

The beings went through physical walls and doors, searching for a particular person, a particular living being with the power They wanted, the power They had been denied by one other being they didn't particularly care for. This Other, as it was called, had found and set up a particular territory in the mortal plane. The territory was easily spotted and separated from the rest of this world; the air was tinted with a smell of a flower, despite it being in the middle of a grossly populated area. It was a signature scent They knew and searched for. This scent and the Other who possessed it had a great effect on the area around it. The people, despite having their own issues and problems these beings were unable to feel, had no real large qualms. The usual issues in a large, multi-million population city of crime and death and murder and drug usage seemed to not exist. It was a utopia that should have existed only in dreams.

The beings knew it was because of this one person the Other had, that this person was the source of all of these beautiful wonderful things. And this person They wanted for Their own. That was the purpose of the mission, of this descent from all the other worlds into this one world, this world the humans called Earth. The beings came across the Other and the person upon pure luck. And upon spotting the person and realizing the nature of the person's power, They yearned for control. They ruled the worlds, why couldn't They own the person as well? The Other's center of control, His base of operations, was beneath a road bridge, appearing to be a wall of stylized graffiti and litter thrown from the side of the bridge slowly building up. The beings passed through the wall into an entirely different world, it was another world within a world, and it was beautifully stylized and almost cliché.

At the end of the hall, the edge of the world was a throne of slate. Shaped into a blocky throne, a chair built into the wall, a bit of the world formed specifically by the Other for His use. The throne was surrounded by ivy roses, thorn-less and having all ranges of colors. The Other, the only one who They truly despised, sat on the chair, calmly, head tilted to the side as his hair of bright curls and ringlets swayed in a small breeze that came from the nothingness. One arm rested on the arm of the chair, hand propping His head up almost lazily, the other arm was wrapped around the person the beings were looking for. The person sat in His lap, leaning against His form, head buried in His neck. The person's eyes were half-lidded, and as the beings walked in, the person yawned. The Other released a chuckle, nudging the person awake.

"Come now, my dear, we have guests." The voice was earthy and deep, the very sound itself came from the walls of the world around them. The person shifted in his position, moving to sit on the other arm of the throne, shaking his head as he attempted to become more alert and awake. The person looked at the beings in curiosity, knowing They were there and was thus able to see. The Other only seemed to smile and stood from His self-constructed throne. "How may I help you? You beings don't tend to visit this mortal plane often."

One of the beings stepped forward, taking the position of the leader. This one was of a larger size, its wingspan half that of its height while the wings were shaped like open umbrellas. Its voice was that of multiple people whispering, no gender available from the tone. "We've heard of your shifting this world. You've had a great affect on your territory." The Other only smiled wider, His stance remaining open and bright. His aura remained clear, His emotions blank despite the grin and light in His violet eyes. "And the cause of it is this person." It gestured to the person remaining on the throne. "You are not allowed to keep pets." The eyes of the Other immediately narrowed, His aura turned a hazy grey.

"I do not keep him. He is free to come and go as he pleases." The Other moved to block their view of the person, the throne shifted its shape, the world warped to form defenses around the person.

"Humans cannot be pets."

"He is not a pet." The Other's voice rose ever so slightly, the ivy rose plant surrounding the throne grew tremendously, thorns spouting from the vines, the points glimmering sharply. "He's never been a pet. He came to me of his own free will."

"He can speak for himself, then, yes?" Another being, this one tiny and the size of a soda can, spoke in whispers. "Boy, how did you come here?"

The person, the boy, tilted his head in question, vermillion spikes swaying with the movement. "How did I get here?" He shrugged. "I walked, like every other person tends to." At the Other's chuckle, the boy laughed outright. "I felt it, I knew he was here. So I came. And I chose to stay."

The beings quickly gathered together murmuring in another language mortals couldn't understand. The Other however hissed in response, understanding the conversation perfectly fine. He knew exactly what it meant, exactly what They would do. He stepped back; the extensions of his back flared out and hid the boy completely from Their sight. "He wants to be here, you cannot make him leave."

"They say he cannot stay. They don't want him here."

"Of course They don't!" The Other's voice deepened, a deep rumble of a lion emanating from his chest. "They want him for Themselves. If I can't have a 'pet'," He spat, "Neither can They." The boy spoke, words muffled by the extensions, by the warping of the world around him. The Other paused, listening and understanding the meaning behind the words. "I don't agree with that, dear." The mumbling continued to be heard but not quite understood. "They could find you; take you before you get to make that decision." The boy seemed to sigh, and the Other agreed. "It may be our best bet, as you've stated." The extensions of His back retreated slightly as He turned to face the person. The person, the boy, peered out from the wall of rose thorns and warped slate. He stepped forward, and the world righted itself.

"I have a deal for you."

The leader peered at the mortal curiously. "What is this deal?"

He took a deep, calming breath and his voice waivered, steadily growing stronger the more he went on. "If whoever They are wants me, I don't want to be taken from my decision. I chose to be with my –" the Other shushed him, and the person paused before remembering His title, "- my Composer. I came because I sensed him, I saw him, and I wasn't forced. If you force me to go to Them, I can't guarantee I'll do anything that I've been doing for the Composer and I think -"

"What is this deal?" The leader spoke, interrupting.

The person froze, glancing at the Other, who nodded and gestured for him to continue. "To offer Them a chance to get me to Their side, I recommend we let this reoccur. Go back in time, or send me to be reborn; whichever is best, to where both They and the Composer can talk to me. Let me remake my choice. If I choose the Composer, They cannot try to change my decision. If I choose Them, then the Composer cannot do the same. The Composer has agreed to these terms, will They?"

"We need to speak to Them." The leader appeared to sigh, though there was no audible sound, only the chest movement that mimicked it. "Know this, if we go back in time or if you are reborn, multiple things could go wrong. An abusive family, traumatizing experiences, and many other things that happen to you mortals could occur. This doesn't touch the fact that our manipulations on the Other's side and our own could make it worse."

He nodded. "I am well aware, and I propose this nonetheless."

"Very well. We go back to Them and we'll return to deliver Their decision." The beings slipped through the wall that appeared as graffiti, and left the Other and the person alone.

The Other immediately pulled the person into his arms, clinging tightly. "They'll say yes as you were aware." The person nodded. "They have no other option to say yes. But don't worry dear, I'll protect you." The Other lifted the person and carried him back to the throne, sitting down and cuddling the person much like a child would a stuffed bear or a protective blanket. "They'll allow us to go back, your current self will disappear, but I will remember. I will always remember." The person wrapped his arms around His neck and buried his face in the Other's chest. "If anything, know this: I will make sure, you listening?" The person nodded, "I will make sure you won't be harmed. You won't be abused, you won't be hurt. You'll be happy, I swear. No matter how your new life appears to have changed." The Other kissed the person's forehead and breathed in his naturally floral smell.

"I know," the person took a shaky breath. "I'll miss you."

As the beings returned, bringing some of Them, the Other couldn't help His twisted chuckle and whispered in the person's ear, "Silly boy, how can you miss something you'll never remember?"

The day They and the Other decided to go back in time was the day that His particular world ceased to be, and another spouted from its nothingness. The Other watched calmly as the place He had labeled His territory fell upon itself. He would have to reconstruct everything from scratch, but it wouldn't take nearly as long this time around; he had a much better idea of how to go about His plans. It would take maybe an hour at maximum, but He didn't mind. It was all for him, all for the boy, all for that bundle of Imagination and purity. Everything was for Neku Sakuraba. He took an unnecessary breath, as His kind needn't breathe, and watched as the realm of Shibuya fourteen years before reformed and appeared before him and Them.

They peered at the Other in curiosity as the Other began to head off to reinstate his territory. "Aren't you curious about the boy?"

"The boy is fine," the Other stated blankly. "No use searching for him now, he's barely a year old. Mortals aren't able to process much at that age. You're better off waiting until he's at least five or six before trying to fill him with your ideas of a utopia. If you'll excuse me, I have my territory to set up." The Other disappeared with a harsh breeze traveling through the highly populated town, leaving Them to wander the city of Shibuya and find the boy They needed desperately for Their plans.

Neku Sakuraba, age eight, was running through the local playground, enjoying his game of tag with the other children. Parents were littered about, but Neku's were nowhere to be found as they had work until at least six in the evening. But Neku knew this, as with every day he would return home from school, leave his backpack and any other items in the house, and come to the park just a little bit down the road.

Dark clouds were gathering, and many parents were grabbing their children and returning home. But Neku remained. He continued to run amongst the jungle gym and monkey bars, sliding down the plastic slides and hiding in the tunnels. Finally a large resounding boom shook the playground, long after Neku's clothes had been soaked through, his russet hair plastered to his face and neck. He ran all the way home, using the key he always kept in his pocket to unlock the door and step inside.

He was too short to touch the thermostat but he knew to go and change clothes. He slipped into pajamas, sneezing as he dropped the soaked clothes into the hamper. A wave of dizziness hit the boy and he stumbled into the wall. With a whimper, he laid there on the wood flooring and closed his eyes. There was a pressure in his head, and he couldn't stop the sneezing. He slipped into a restless slumber.

The Other slipped inside the household, shaking His head at the lack of a locked door, fixing the issue with a flick of the wrist. He continued inside, following the puddles into the hallway, where Neku had collapsed beside his bedroom. The Other gingerly lifted the boy, carrying him much like a young infant. A glance at the thermostat had it raised to the right temperature and He carried him into the room. With a blink the covers were lifted and Neku was placed gently onto his bed, covers tucked all around him. A large hand brushed against Neku's forehead, and the Other recoiled. The boy had a high temperature and with the shivering his body gave under all the covers, the Other found himself worrying.

He moved more covers over the boy and disregarded the fact Neku's parents would wonder over who cared for the boy. His promise to Neku, his word, his Bond, needed to be fulfilled. He made sure the room remained warm, in hopes to sweat the fever out. He made sure there was any cold or flu medication in the medicine cabinet, and He constantly checked on Neku's health. The boy's aura slowly relaxed into the gentle blue hue he'd had even in his teenage form, a sign of normalcy for the unique boy.

He took a deep breath and smelt the floral smell that was Neku. Briefly He wondered if the boy had always had that smell or only once he became part of something other than the mortal plane. Dearest Neku wasn't anything mortal. He couldn't be any longer. Not after what had already occurred. All the memories the Other had were useless, as that world no longer existed, but it still had an effect on the child. One didn't interact with the Other and expect to escape unscathed, whether it was before meeting Him or after.

Someone unlocked the front door, and the Other felt Himself slip into a form of invisibility as the footsteps made their way to the bedroom. It was Neku's mother, the woman he inherited his bright vibrant blue eyes and frail body from. The Other knew that Neku would never gain the wide shoulders or the standard weight that came with 'growing-up'. He was doomed to always be small, thin, and easily broken, like porcelain. His skin color even mimicked it despite all the time he spent in the sun.

Neku's mother, upon seeing the large comforters covering her little boy's body, and the flushed skin of his face, caused her eyes to widen and drop everything in her arms to check his temperature, to make sure her baby was alright. After checking his temperature, she gave a sigh of relief and practically collapsed upon the bed beside him. She took in the sight of all the preparations, of all the adjustments in Neku's room. She took a glance around and found flu and cold medication, finding it in great supply. She could remember that her husband had used it last, and there had barely been enough for a dose, but now they had more than enough.

Wondering over this anomaly, she peered at her son and shook her head. "It appears you have a guardian angel, Nekky. I wonder who it is..."

The Other shook His head, chuckling in His other realm, taking His chance to leave. Neku was in capable hands now, which gave the Other plenty of time to adjust His boundaries. They were going to show up soon, They were going to start trying to manipulate him. The Other was prepared. He had to finish his preparations of the future realms. He needed to go through and select particular souls and cultivate them, manipulate them to do what he needed. As the Other, as a being who would soon change His title to the Composer, he needed an army of minions, of beings to help watch over the Shibuya ward of Tokyo and thus his Neku dear.

"So many plans," the Other murmured almost gleefully, "so little time."


End file.
